American Cold War Veterans Call for Repeal of Disabled Veterans Tax
Author: ACN Staff
Published: 2011/02/11
Category Topic: Disabled Veterans News - Academic Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: American Cold War Veterans are asking Congress to stop unfair tax placed on veterans receiving disability payments and retirement pay.
Introduction
The American Cold War Veterans are asking Congress to stop the unfair tax placed on veterans who are receiving disability payments and retirement pay, or Social Security Disability Income, commonly known as concurrent pay.Main Content
Under the current laws, veterans who are receiving benefits for service related injuries are having a dollar for dollar reduction from their retirement pay. See section 1414 of title 10 United States Code.
"So to put it bluntly," said Jerald Terwilliger National Chairman of the American Cold War Veterans, "Our brave men and women whose dedicated service to our country have been injured during that service are being taxed for the injury or their length of service. This is wrong and unjust, it places an unfair burden upon the veteran."
Although there is a ten year phase-in plan that began in 2004 and will be completed by 2013 that will partially fix the problem, Terwilliger said "It is not enough and will take too long, and it will only apply to a veteran that has been rated by the Veterans Affairs with a disability of at least 50 percent."
The American Cold War Veterans demand an immediate end to the disabled veterans tax.
Their veterans service organization is pushing for equal treatment for all veterans regardless of when or where they served, or the amount of their disability rating.
In the 111th Congress there were two pieces of legislation H.R. 303 and S.546 that would have ended this tax, H.R. 303 was passed to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, S.546 was referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
These bills are being reintroduced this year they are The Retired Pay Restoration Act and The Disabled Veterans Termination Act.
Terwilliger added "We ask the 112th Congress to act quickly to pass these two important pieces of legislation and end the unfair treatment of our nation's veterans."
Terwilliger said, "We should no longer make our veterans who have been injured, and devoted their lives to our country pay an additional penalty."
"It is time to treat our veterans and our military with the respect and honor they deserve," Terwilliger went on to say, "they stood up for us, now let us stand up for them."